


Just One

by EmynIthilien



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Crossover, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-06
Updated: 2013-10-06
Packaged: 2017-12-28 15:22:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/993480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmynIthilien/pseuds/EmynIthilien
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stannis corrects some of Davos’ assumptions about him.  An ASOIAF/Sherlock crossover, with Stannis as detective Sherlock Holmes and Davos as Dr. John Watson.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just One

**Author's Note:**

> I wish I knew how to write mystery stories, for it would be entertaining to see Stannis and Davos team up and go on an adventure like Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson do! Written for Game of Ships’ Golden Ship AU challenge on tumblr, for the prompt “crossover.”

Dr. Davos Seaworth wasn’t quite sure how to describe his flatmate, consulting detective Stannis Baratheon. “Eccentric” was the word he most often used, for Stannis collected quirks like some men did coins or foreign postage stamps. The man read books with the fervor of an Oxford scholar, filled the spice drawer in the kitchen with potentially hazardous chemicals (expiration dates clearly marked, of course), constantly ground his teeth, and obsessively played his violin when he needed to think clearly. And there was also the matter of his long, jet black trench coat with gold stitching at the buttonholes, which he wore in every kind of weather imaginable—always with the collar turned up. 

Stannis’ two brothers had different ways of describing him, none of them particularly flattering:

“Obstinate” was what Renly Baratheon, Stannis’ flashy, civil-rights lawyer of a younger brother always said, and Davos heartily agreed with that. Stannis was stubborn to a fault and was very deliberate and pragmatic in his decisions and actions alike. Though Davos liked to think that he was teaching Stannis to take a risk once in a while, even if he hadn’t succeed in teaching Stannis how to smile. For Stannis never smiled. _Ever._

“Misanthropic” was what Robert Baratheon, MP, Stannis’ elder brother, would declare, when he grudgingly contacted Stannis for advice when the stresses of politics got to him. Davos thought that was going a bit far, for Stannis didn’t exactly hate humanity. He just had little patience for most of the mindless idiots that made up society. Ironically, what offended Robert most about Stannis was the fact that he could never find a girlfriend. Why Robert cared about that was lost on Davos, for Robert would often rant about women hounding him: “Just because I slept with a woman once doesn’t mean I want to see her again!”

Davos had met Stannis many years ago, before he became a doctor. Oh, and Davos wasn’t a medical doctor—he was a doctor of computer science. Before that he had been a notorious computer hacker, but he had been caught by Stannis right after he’d figured out a way to hack into the secret files of MI6. Stannis had given Davos two choices: be tried and be sentenced to life in prison, or start working against hackers and criminals of the like. And so that explained Davos’ university degree, where he spent much of his time writing firewall programs.

Ever since his failed hacking of the MI6 computer systems, Davos had started assisting Stannis on his detective cases. It all began when Stannis needed Davos’ assistance in breaking into the phone of a Melisandre d’Asshai, which contained files of a rather sensitive nature concerning a member of the royal family. Davos succeeded in his task, which led to Stannis asking—no, _demanding_ , he was not a man to politely ask—Davos’ assistance more and more. It got to the point where Davos was spending so much of his time in Stannis’ flat on 221B Baker Street that Stannis suggested he just move in and be done with it. Neither of them was married or had children tying him down, so it would be a logical and practical arrangement. Case closed.

One night, Stannis was playing his violin as Davos read by the fireplace. It was a relaxing end to a thoroughly disastrous evening spent at one of Robert’s lavish dinner parties. Davos always wondered why Stannis bothered to attend, since he couldn’t stand his brother’s family or his brother’s friends and associates. Perhaps it was to quietly observe them, to gather clues in case any of the MPs, lawyers, or society ladies became embroiled in suspicious activities of some sort—or murder. But Stannis always seemed to say the wrong things to the people, telling them uncomfortable truths that were more often than not interpreted as insults.

“Stannis,” said Davos.

Stannis stopped playing and looked at Davos in surprise, as if he had forgotten his presence in the room. The violin had done nothing to soothe his mood or help him think, for his posture was still absurdly tense and the music had become progressively more agitated and jerky. A far cry from one of his favorite pieces, the second movement of Prokofiev’s second violin concerto.

“Perhaps if you stopped insulting everyone you met, you’d have more friends. And perhaps your social life would consist of more than just Robert’s dinner parties.”

“My work _is_ my social life,” replied Stannis, irritated that one might think otherwise. He idly plucked the strings on his violin. “I help bring justice to society by seeing things that others can’t and understanding people’s motivations better that they ever can. I’m not terribly good with technology, which is why we make such a good team.”

Davos sighed.

“Davos, you just said something terribly incorrect. I must fix that, because you mustn’t ever assume things about me.”

“What did I say?” Davos was puzzled.

“I don’t have friends.” Stannis was staring steadily at him.

_Of course you don’t. Friends are the frivolous luxury of a sentimental man, to you._ Davos snapped his book shut, suddenly ready to go to bed and remind himself for the thousandth time not to take anything that Stannis Baratheon said personally.

“I’ve just got one.”

“You don’t mean that,” countered Davos automatically.

Stannis’ eyes darkened, though not from anger. “Why wouldn’t I? You always tell me the truth. The least I can do is to return the favor.”

As Davos looked back at Stannis, too stunned to formulate an appropriate reply, he noticed something different about him. Davos blinked, wanting to be sure that he wasn’t hallucinating, for Stannis was…well, Stannis was _smiling_.

**Author's Note:**

> This short story was inspired by the Sherlock quote from _The Hounds of Baskerville_ :
> 
> Sherlock (to John): I don’t have friends. I’ve just got one.
> 
> Which matches nicely with Stannis’ lines from the series:
> 
> “Kings have no friends,” Stannis said bluntly, “only subjects and enemies.”  
> Stannis to Catelyn, _A Clash of Kings_ Catelyn III
> 
> “She [Melisandre] knows I am no friend to her or her red god.”  
> “But you are a friend to me.”  
> Davos to Stannis, _A Storm of Swords_ Davos IV


End file.
